Double-sided electrophoresis devices have been provided in the past, wherein two gel plate assemblies are mounted substantially vertically. The operator must get at each plate separately, from the front, to load samples and inspect results. Heretofore, such double-sided units have been awkward to use, because they have not been easily turned to allow access to the "other" side. That is, either the entire unit has to be picked up, or the operator walks around the unit to the other side. Picking up the entire unit is not feasible, since it is not sufficiently small or light-weight to render this a simple operation. Furthermore, the device is full of liquids, even harmful liquids, that can be spilled, so that picking it up is a serious hazard.
Therefore, prior to this invention there has been a substantial need to make an electrophoresis device, particularly those mounting more than one gel plate, to be more readily accessible from several sides. Mere rotatability has not been adequate, since typically the comb of the gel plate assembly has to be carefully removed and reinserted after gel set, to provide cavities for sample introduction. Such a maneuver cannot be done easily on a device that is freely rotatable.